Unitary packing and gland structure



Oct. 7, 1941. c, R; NEILON UNITARY PACKING AND GLAND STRUCTURE Filed Sept. 4, 1940 Patented Oct. 7, 1941 f. "S AT i jf bF E j i azsaisc head to surroundxandpack-ofi an axially disposed element, such as a string of drill pipe or tubing,

' positioning as a unit in a stuffing box casing commonly used in controlling the flow of fluid under pressure from well holes.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a unitary packing assembly made in two symmetrical halves that may be quickly applied around a drill pipe or tubing or the like and lowered into position in a casing head in case of emergency. Another object is to provide a simple means for detachably holding the half sections of packing in a unitary assemblage with the gland and the follower ring sections.

Another object of my invention is to provide a packing and gland assembly adapted for quick axial positioning around a tubing in an oil well casing head, or the like, in which a single set of bolts and nuts serve to hold the component parts together as a unit and serve to provide a viding a seal between the casing head and the suspended string of drill pipe or tubing passing therethrough, it is capable of use in other devices.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent in the following specification of an embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section through a suitable form of stuffing box casing head showing the unitary packing and gland structure assembled in the head and surrounding the tubing and providing a seal therefor.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the unitary structure.

Fig. 3 is an external elevational view showing the assembled relation of the unitary structure.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the unitary structure in assembled relation with the packing in place.

Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective views of the half sections of the gland and ring in assembled relation with the packing removed.

In the drawing the numeral I designates generally a packing and gland assembly composed of a gland 2, a packing 3 and a follower ring 4. These three elements are each split on an axial UNITAnYPAcKINdANnGn-mnSTRUCTURE I r 'Claude. RQNeilbn, Houston, Tex.,assignor. to The:

" l National Supp y. Company, Pittsburgh, Pa, a y

. orporation o i l i Application September 4,1940, scanner-355,349 i i rclaim. ma s,

together byrrivetsf5 The follower ring i's'provided with a seriespf 1 holes'6, to receive therivet's 5.. The .packingxiswprovided withziholes 1 to receive :said rivets: .1 :The. gland is recessed, as at; and provided; withazholes 9. v the lower flanged portion Ill. The rivets 5 extend vertlcallyup from the lower surface of the follower ring, passing through the holes 6, 1 and 9 in the ring, packing and gland respectively. In assembling the half portions of the gland, packing and ring into unitary half sections, I stagger the split packing relative to the gland and ring as at 3a (Figs. 2, 3 and 4) in order to shift the joints in the packing away from the joints in the gland and ring. By this method the packing serves as a lug between the gland and ring t assist in aligning the two halves. The upper ends of the rivets 5, which protrude above the flanged portion III, are welded, as at H, to said flanged portions to secure the packing structures into unitary assemblages. The recesses 8 allow access to the free ends of the rivets to facilitate welding to the gland or for any other suitable means for securing said elements into unitary half structures. The packing is compressed by means of pressure on double end bolts l2 and the nuts l3 reacting against exterior bolt receiving extensions on the head l4, provided to draw the pack ing assembly into sealing engagement with the head l4 and the tubing or drill pipe I5. As the packing is compressed the rivets slide down through the holes in the follower ring into the space above the slips H.

The invention is shown as applied to a well casing head M which is threada'bly attached at its lower end to an outer string of casing IS. The purpose of the casing head is to provide a. means for suspending and sealing off the inner string of tubing or drill pipe I5 which extends up through the outer casing and the head and is suspended within the head by means of slips l1, positioned to seat on an inwardly and downwardly tapered bore l8 within the head and adapted to grip the tubing I5.

Fluid outlet tapped holes 2| to receive takeoff pipes are provided in the body of the head below the slips.

In order to provide a seal between the outer casing 16 and the tubing I5 and to prevent the escape of fluid therebetween, the upper end of the casing head, above the tapered bore and slips, is provided with a cylindrical bore l9 to receive the above mentioned packing and gland assemblage I. The follower ring 4 rests on a plane to form duplicate halves which are secured shoulder 20 formed in the cylindrical bore at it junction with the inwardly and downwardly tapered bore 3.

When an emergency arises or when it is desirable and necessary to shut off the fluid pressure hurriedly the unitary packing and gland assemblage is quickly slipped around the tubin or drill pipe l5 and is then pushed down the tubing or drill pipe so that it will enter the cylindrical bore within the upper end of the casing head I 4. The assemblage is then speedily bolted to the extensions on the (head l4 and pulled into a sealing engagement around the tubing or drill pipe by compressing the packing 3 by means of the bolts 12 and nuts I 3.

It will be particularly noted'thatthesame bolts I2, together with their nuts '|3,' which are provided to hold the two halves of the packing unit together to form a cylindrical assembly are also used to draw the assembled unit into sealing engagement around the well tubing. This provides a. sim pleimeans for speedily efiecting a fluid tightpre'ssure seal between the tubing and easing head bore, thus-preventing a costly blowout, both from the standpoint of financial. damage and possible serious iniurylor a fatal accident to the operators; 7 q

and follower ring elements, means to hold said 7 elements. together to fo-rm said sections, bolts to hold said half sections together to form a unitary cylindrical assembly, said bolts being elongated to pass through said casing head extensions, and

- nuts threaded on said bolts against said extensions, whereby the bolts serve to hold the half sections together and by reaction against said casinghead extensions to compress thepacking around the tubing in the casing head.

VVCIIJAUDE R. NEILON; 

